Reply #20: You could write entire essays on the topic.

[Sheets of Easter]

Everyone here touched on some good points. It really was a perfect storm.

I would, however, disagree with the marketing aspect. The first couple Beatles albums were failures in the States. Even EMI initially passed on them before offering them a deal with Parlophone, which was EMI's jazz imprint.

There were a ton of factors:

1. Economy- as mentioned above by Rabrrrrrr, it was the first time in modern history that teenagers had expendable income and relatively easy access to goods like records and radios.

2. Talent- the Beatles were not only good songwriters, but were first and foremost good musicians. Most rock songs of the day were based around the traditional 12-bar blues format. The Beatles have their roots in skiffle, which is a jazz/folk offshoot. They often employed chords, changes and harmonies not usually featured in rock & roll of the era. They also enjoyed experimentation, which helped them stay fresh throughout their career.

3. Charisma- all four were great when being interviewed. Even George Harrison, who was never comfortable with the limelight, could drop a one-liner or two.

4. Culture- like many of the British Invasion artists, they were able to tap into black music without being awkward or condescending. They truly loved artists like Chuck Berry and Little Richard, and were'nt out to make sanitized versions of rock songs for white audiences.

5. Timing- Rock & roll was at a relative low point in the US. Buddy Holly was dead, Elvis was making movies, and Jerry Lee Lewis pretty much lost his career over the whole 13-year-old bride thing. Most pop music was vocal group stuff, or teenybopper music. In the underground, folk was the big thing.

That's just a few things I can think of...